This invention relates to a thermal label printer having a label feeding device, and more particularly to the label feeding device adapted for printing relatively large labels, tags, papers and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a label feed device for a thermal label printer which facilitates the task of changing over between feeding labels that have been peeled from their backing sheet and feeding labels which remain on the backing sheet.
In the label feed device of the present invention the foregoing and other objects are realized with a conveyor belt means which is located adjacent to a backing sheet redirecting and peeling member of the thermal printer. The conveyor belt means are designed to convey the printed labels out of the printer. In a unique fashion, the conveyor belt means can be pivoted to an open position to create a larger clearance between the conveyor and the peeling member to facilitate loading of the backing sheet.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the following drawings.